Apex Gaming beats Team Dragon Knights, will replace Team Dignitas in NA LCS Summer Split

First-year Challenger Series team Apex Gaming won promotion to the North American League of Legends Championship Series, beating Team Dragon Knights 3 games to 0 Friday. Apex will replace Team Dignitas, who lost to TDK earlier in the tournament, in the NA LCS 2016 Summer Split.

Apex bought Team Imagine’s Challenger Series spot in January, and put together an impressive roster led by veteran support Xpecial, former Gravity Gaming mid laner Keane and NA LCS experience in the top lane (Cris) and jungle (Shrimp). Apex finished first in the Challenger regular season before winning the Challenger playoffs, beating TDK in the final.

Team Dragon Knights finished in 10th place in the NA LCS 2015 Summer Split, getting related to the Challenger Series as a result. TDK finished in third place in the regular season, but with new acquisition Alex Ich in the mid lane, it upset second-seeded Ember in the Challenger Playoffs to earn a spot in the Promotion Tournament.

Barring anyone selling a spot, the 10 teams in the NA LCS 2016 Summer Split will be Apex Gaming, Cloud9, Counter Logic Gaming, Echo Fox, Immortals, Team Impulse, Team Liquid, NRG eSports, Renegades and Team SoloMid.

Team Dignitas had been a part of the NA LCS since the beginning, making Worlds back in 2012 but never finishing higher than fourth since. Support KiWiKiD was the only remaining player to have played every single LCS split with the same team.